26 October 2010

After I have fought with the tiny2313 to fit all requested features for the external display (for transverters), and lost ... after I have searched up and down the Net for the ATtiny4313 PDIP and realized that it is probably not yet in production ... I gave up.

The choice was whether to maintain backward compatibility with the stand-alone keypad based on ATtiny2313 OR establish a new standard, compatible with the "remote control" to-be.

While the ATmega chip can cost 3 times the ATtiny uC, it gives me much more freedom to produce something not only satisfactory, but fitting all the requirements. And leaves headroom for future extensions. Moreover a PCB drawn and produced for the display can be done for the keypad+display at the same time, just leave out components when assemblying.

So, ATmega48/88/168 is the final choice. Probably an ATmega48 will suffice.

In any case I will not throw away the ATtiny2313 external display firmware for those who have built the circuit published in the last month (October 2010). It will be available on request.

In any case the 2*16 LCD display based on HD44780 controller will not change.

11 October 2010

One more update to the firmware and diagram of the external display for transverters. Since there was a little bit of program space left, I added the support for a VFO A/B swap button.

Now you need two N.O. pushbuttons and one DPST switch.

If you don't want the A/B function, leave out the pushbutton but do insert the 10k pull-up resistor. Same for the dual LO, just put a pull-up resistor between pin 12 and 5Vcc if you won't be using a transverter with input into the UHF region.

10 October 2010

101010: I have managed to "sign" this date with a new (internal) firmware version for the external display for transverter users.

The new firmware allows L.O. values for 10 GHz (and more) transverters. The programming occurs as announced before, reading the display frequency and interpreting it as GHz instead of MHz.

But two L.O. frequencies can be stored, one to be used when the 817 (857, 897) is tuned to HF/VHF and another for UHF. According to a microwave experimenter, with this option it is possible to use 10 and 24 GHz transverters. UHF is recognized automatically by the display, and L.O. value varied accordingly.

Since automatic band recognition is enabled, there is also an output pin switching high from HF/VHF to UHF in order to switch transverters! One radio, one external display, two transverters! All within an ATtiny2313.

Here is a preview on the schematic diagram. Firmware will be published on the usual website. But it's available on request since now.

PS: this firmware works on FT817, FT857 and FT897, and their ND versions.

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